tales and fantasies-第14部分

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speak　with　you　alone。'　　And　then；　when　they　were　both　in　the

back　room：　'You　need　not　come　to　the　office　to…day；'　said　he；

'you　can　stay　and　amuse　your　brother；　and　I　think　it　would　be

respectful　to　call　on　Uncle　Greig。　　And　by　the　bye'　（this

spoken　with　a　certain…　dare　we　say？　…　bashfulness）；　'I　agree

to　concede　the　principle　of　an　allowance；　and　I　will　consult

with　Doctor　Durie；　who　is　quite　a　man　of　the　world　and　has

sons　of　his　own；　as　to　the　amount。　　And；　my　fine　fellow；　you

may　consider　yourself　in　luck！'　he　added；　with　a　smile。



'Thank　you；'　said　Alexander。



Before　noon　a　detective　had　restored　to　John　his　money；　and

brought　news；　sad　enough　in　truth；　but　perhaps　the　least　sad

possible。　　Alan　had　been　found　in　his　own　house　in　Regent

Terrace；　under　care　of　the　terrified　butler。　　He　was　quite

mad；　and　instead　of　going　to　prison；　had　gone　to　Morningside

Asylum。　　The　murdered　man；　it　appeared；　was　an　evicted　tenant

who　had　for　nearly　a　year　pursued　his　late　landlord　with

threats　and　insults；　and　beyond　this；　the　cause　and　details

of　the　tragedy　were　lost。



When　Mr。　Nicholson　returned　from　dinner　they　were　able　to　put

a　despatch　into　his　hands：　'John　V。　Nicholson；　Randolph

Crescent；　Edinburgh。　…　Kirkham　has　disappeared；　police

looking　for　him。　　All　understood。　　Keep　mind　quite　easy。　…

Austin。'　Having　had　this　explained　to　him；　the　old　gentleman

took　down　the　cellar　key　and　departed　for　two　bottles　of　the

1820　port。　　Uncle　Greig　dined　there　that　day；　and　Cousin

Robina；　and；　by　an　odd　chance；　Mr。　Macewen；　and　the　presence

of　these　strangers　relieved　what　might　have　been　otherwise　a

somewhat　strained　relation。　　Ere　they　departed；　the　family

was　welded　once　more　into　a　fair　semblance　of　unity。



In　the　end　of　April　John　led　Flora　…　or；　as　more　descriptive；

Flora　led　John　…　to　the　altar；　if　altar　that　may　be　called

which　was　indeed　the　drawing…room　mantel…piece　in　Mr。

Nicholson's　house；　with　the　Reverend　Dr。　Durie　posted　on　the

hearthrug　in　the　guise　of　Hymen's　priest。



The　last　I　saw　of　them；　on　a　recent　visit　to　the　north；　was

at　a　dinner…party　in　the　house　of　my　old　friend　Gellatly

Macbride；　and　after　we　had；　in　classic　phrase；　'rejoined　the

ladies；'　I　had　an　opportunity　to　overhear　Flora　conversing

with　another　married　woman　on　the　much　canvassed　matter　of　a

husband's　tobacco。



'Oh　yes！'　said　she；　'I　only　allow　Mr。　Nicholson　four　cigars　a

day。　　Three　he　smokes　at　fixed　times　…　after　a　meal；　you

know；　my　dear；　and　the　fourth　he　can　take　when　he　likes　with

any　friend。'



'Bravo！'　thought　I　to　myself；　'this　is　the　wife　for　my　friend

John！'







THE　BODY…SNATCHER









EVERY　night　in　the　year；　four　of　us　sat　in　the　small　parlour

of　the　George　at　Debenham　…　the　undertaker；　and　the　landlord；

and　Fettes；　and　myself。　　Sometimes　there　would　be　more；　but

blow　high；　blow　low；　come　rain　or　snow　or　frost；　we　four

would　be　each　planted　in　his　own　particular　arm…chair。

Fettes　was　an　old　drunken　Scotchman；　a　man　of　education

obviously；　and　a　man　of　some　property；　since　he　lived　in

idleness。　　He　had　come　to　Debenham　years　ago；　while　still

young；　and　by　a　mere　continuance　of　living　had　grown　to　be　an

adopted　townsman。　　His　blue　camlet　cloak　was　a　local

antiquity；　like　the　church…spire。　　His　place　in　the　parlour

at　the　George；　his　absence　from　church；　his　old；　crapulous；

disreputable　vices；　were　all　things　of　course　in　Debenham。

He　had　some　vague　Radical　opinions　and　some　fleeting

infidelities；　which　he　would　now　and　again　set　forth　and

emphasise　with　tottering　slaps　upon　the　table。　　He　drank　rum

…　five　glasses　regularly　every　evening；　and　for　the　greater

portion　of　his　nightly　visit　to　the　George　sat；　with　his

glass　in　his　right　hand；　in　a　state　of　melancholy　alcoholic

saturation。　　We　called　him　the　Doctor；　for　he　was　supposed　to

have　some　special　knowledge　of　medicine；　and　had　been　known；

upon　a　pinch；　to　set　a　fracture　or　reduce　a　dislocation；　but

beyond　these　slight　particulars；　we　had　no　knowledge　of　his

character　and　antecedents。



One　dark　winter　night　…　it　had　struck　nine　some　time　before

the　landlord　joined　us　…　there　was　a　sick　man　in　the　George；

a　great　neighbouring　proprietor　suddenly　struck　down　with

apoplexy　on　his　way　to　Parliament；　and　the　great　man's　still

greater　London　doctor　had　been　telegraphed　to　his　bedside。

It　was　the　first　time　that　such　a　thing　had　happened　in

Debenham；　for　the　railway　was　but　newly　open；　and　we　were　all

proportionately　moved　by　the　occurrence。



'He's　come；'　said　the　landlord；　after　he　had　filled　and

lighted　his　pipe。



'He？'　said　I。　　'Who？　…　not　the　doctor？'



'Himself；'　replied　our　host。



'What　is　his　name？'



'Doctor　Macfarlane；'　said　the　landlord。



Fettes　was　far　through　his　third　tumbler；　stupidly　fuddled；

now　nodding　over；　now　staring　mazily　around　him；　but　at　the

last　word　he　seemed　to　awaken；　and　repeated　the　name

'Macfarlane'　twice；　quietly　enough　the　first　time；　but　with

sudden　emotion　at　the　second。



'Yes；'　said　the　landlord；　'that's　his　name；　Doctor　Wolfe

Macfarlane。'



Fettes　became　instantly　sober；　his　eyes　awoke；　his　voice

became　clear；　loud；　and　steady；　his　language　forcible　and

earnest。　　We　were　all　startled　by　the　transformation；　as　if　a

man　had　risen　from　the　dead。



'I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　said；　'I　am　afraid　I　have　not　been

paying　much　attention　to　your　talk。　　Who　is　this　Wolfe

Macfarlane？'　　And　then；　when　he　had　heard　the　landlord　out；

'It　cannot　be；　it　cannot　be；'　he　added；　'and　yet　I　would　like

well　to　see　him　face　to　face。'



'Do　you　know　him；　Doctor？'　asked　the　undertaker；　with　a　gasp。



'God　forbid！'　was　the　reply。　　'And　yet　the　name　is　a　strange

one；　it　were　too　much　to　fancy　two。　　Tell　me；　landlord；　is　he

old？'



'Well；'　said　the　host；　'he's　not　a　young　man；　to　be　sure；　and

his　hair　is　white；　but　he　looks　younger　than　you。'



'He　is　older；　though；　years　older。　　But；'　with　a　slap　upon

the　table；　'it's　the　rum　you　see　in　my　face　…　rum　and　sin。

This　man；　perhaps；　may　have　an　easy　conscience　and　a　good

digestion。　　Conscience！　　Hear　me　speak。　　You　would　think　I

was　some　good；　old；　decent　Christian；　would　you　not？　　But　no；

not　I；　I　never　canted。　　Voltaire　might　have　canted　if　he'd

stood　in　my　shoes；　but　the　brains'　…　with　a　rattling　fillip

on　his　bald　head　…　'the　brains　were　clear　and　active；　and　I

saw　and　made　no　deductions。'



'If　you　know　this　doctor；'　I　ventured　to　remark；　after　a

somewhat　awful　pause；　'I　should　gather　that　you　do　not　share

the　landlord's　good　opinion。'



Fettes　paid　no　regard　to　me。



'Yes；'　he　said；　with　sudden　decision；　'I　must　see　him　face　to

face。'



There　was　another　pause；　and　then　a　door　was　closed　rather

sharply　on　the　first　floor；　and　a　step　was　heard　upon　the

stair。



'That's　the　doctor；'　cried　the　landlord。　　'Look　sharp；　and

you　can　catch　him。'



It　was　but　two　steps　from　the　small　parlour　to　the　door　of

the　old　George　Inn；　the　wide　oak　staircase　landed　almost　in

the　street；　there　was　room　for　a　Turkey　rug　and　nothing　more

between　the　threshold　and　the　last　round　of　the　descent；　but

this　little　space　was　every　evening　brilliantly　lit　up；　not

only　by　the　light　upon　the　stair　and　the　great　signal…lamp

below　the　sign；　but　by　the　warm　radiance　of　the　bar…room

window。　　The　George　thus　brightly　advertised　itself　to

passers…by　in　the　cold　street。　　Fettes　walked　steadily　to　the

spot；　and　we；　who　were　hanging　behind；　beheld　the　two　men

meet；　as　one　of　them　had　phrased　it；　face　to　face。　　Dr。

Macfarlane　was　alert　and　vigorous。　　His　white　hair　set　off

his　pale　and　placid；　although　energetic；　countenance。　　He　was

richly　dressed　in　the　finest　of　broadcloth　and　the　whitest　of

linen；　with　a　great　gold　watch…chain；　and　studs　and

spectacles　of　the　same　precious　material。　　He　wore　a　broad…

folded　tie；　white　and　speckled　with　lilac；　and　he　carried　on

his　arm　a　comfortable　driving…coat　of　fur。　　There　was　no

doubt　but　he　became　his　years；　breathing；　as　he　did；　of

wealth　and　consideration；　and　it　was　a　surprising　contrast　to

see　our　parlour　sot　…　bald；　dirty；　pimpled；　and　robed　in　his

old　camlet　cloak　…　confront　him　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。



'Macfarlane！'　he　said　somewhat　loudly；　more　like　a　herald

than　a　friend。



The　great　doctor　pulled　up　short　on　the　fourth　step；　as

though　the　familiarity　of　the　address　surprised　and　somewhat

shocked　his　dignity。



'Toddy　Macfarlane！'　repeated　Fettes。



The　London　man　almost　staggered。　　He　stared　for　the　swiftest

of　seconds　at　the　man　before　him；　glanced　behind　him　with　a

sort　of　scare；　and　then　in　a　startled　whisper；　'Fettes！'　he

said；　'You！'



'Ay；'　said　the　other；　'me！　　Did　you　think　I　was　dead　too？　　We

are　not　so　easy　shut　of　our　acquaintance。'



'Hush；　hush！'　exclaimed　the　doctor。　　'Hush；　hush！　this

meeting　is　so　unexpected　…　I　can　see　you　are　unmanned。　　I

hardly　knew　you；　I　confess；　at　first；　but　I　am　overjoyed　…

overjoyed　to　have　this　opportunity。　　For　the　present　it　must

be　how…d'ye…do　and　good…bye　in　one；　for　my　fly　is　waiting；

and　I　must　not　fail　the　train；　but　you　shall　…　let　me　see　…

yes　…　you　shall　give　me　your　address；　and　you　can　count　on

early　news　of　me。　　We　must　do　something　for　you；　Fettes。　　I

fear　you　are　out　at　elbows；　but　we　must　see　to　that　for　auld

lang　syne；　as　once　we　sang　at　suppers。'



'Money！'　cried　Fettes；　'money　from　you！　　The　money　that　I　had

from　you　is　lying　where　I　cast　it　in　the　rain。'



Dr。　Macfarlane　had　talked　himself　into　some　measure　of

superiority　and　confidence；　but　the　uncommon　energy　of　this

refusal　cast　him　back　into　his　first　confusion。



A　horrible；　ugly　look　came　and　went　across　his　almost

venerable　countenance。　　'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　'be　it　as

you　please；　my　last　thought　is　to　offend　you。　　I　would

intrude　on　none。　　I　will　leave　you　my　address；　however　…　'